A freak accident sparked chaos this afternoon when a tipper truck’s crane arm smashed into a Wolverhampton bridge.

As the driver lost control the arm apparently came crashing down onto the roof of a passing van in Hordern Road, Whitmore Reans.

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The truck then collided with an orange Skoda before grinding to a halt diagonally across the road, leading to traffic chaos for motorists.

Police, fire engines and paramedics rushed to the scene and the female driver of the orange Skoda car was taken to New Cross Hospital. Horrified witnesses said either the driver or passenger in the tipper truck had also been taken away for treatment.

The driver of the yellow van is understood to have escaped injury. Traffic was this afternoon backed up from Aldersley Road back to Lower Green following the crash, which happened around noon.

Cars queued along Lower Street from The Rock past Lower Green and police were diverting motorists from Hordern Road and along Crowther Road.

Buses from Pendeford and Codsall were among seven services to be diverted away from Hordern Road.

The crash was just yards from where gas workers have been digging up parts of Aldersley Road.

A worker at Blyth Brothers carpet shop in Hordern Road, who asked not to be named, said: “We just heard a very big bang. When we went outside we saw there was a young woman who looked like she’d hurt her spine.

“The passenger of the truck looked like he’d been injured as well.”

Speaking from the scene, Pc Craig Flint, of Wolverhampton police, said: “A tipper truck has caught the side of the bridge as it was passing underneath and there are two other vehicles, a van and a car, involved.

“Two of the drivers have received minor injuries.

“We have recovery on the way but we expect this area will be closed for two hours.”

“Both the lorry driver and the car driver were taken to New Cross Hospital with what were believed to be minor injuries.”